“Yesterday’s” Comic> Star Wars: Battle Of The Bounty Hunters

The cover isn’t kidding. This is a pop-up book.

Star Wars: Battle Of The Bounty Hunters

Dark Horse (July, 1996)

This was the first time I heard of a pop-up comic book While I enjoyed pop-up books as a kid (most kids do), the fact that one was made with a comic book intrigued me so I bought it knowing it was for kids.

Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi, Boba Fett is on his way to deliver the carbonite-frozen Han Solo over to Jabba The Hutt and collect the bounty on the smuggler’s head. He’s not alone as IG88, the bounty hunting droid, and even Bib Fortuna, try to take Solo for themselves. Boba gets past them all and Jabba convinces him to stay and await Han’s friends, who are sure to attempt a rescue.

What they got right: This could have easily have been one of those books that uses something usually reserved for kids and adultifies it. But it’s legitimately a kid-friendly comic, deciding that would be enough for older Boba Fett and Star Wars fans. So they send the droid in to be blown up (although he does shoot two Stormtroopers for complaining that he was in a restricted area) and a monster. It should be enough to satisfy the older readers on curiosity alone. The pop-up art is also well-done and pops up properly.

What they got wrong: Well, there is one page that should have been designed a little better, but it’s hardly a deal breaker.

Recommendation: I’m not sure how hard this is to find (Amazon has nothing) but except for the novelty of a pop-up comic book starring Boba Fett there’s not a lot to this book, so choose wisely.